Consequently, by the late 1800s, cougars were almost eliminated from the eastern United States, driven by these fears. Wholesale logging of the forests the cougars called home also played a role, as waves of settlement converted much of the state to farmland.

Many states and the federal government created bounties, money paid to people to kill cougars and other predators, with the goal of erasing them from the landscape. These efforts worked so well that cougars were eliminated from Michigan by the early 20th century.

While memories of these big cats persisted in communities across the state, trying to find physical evidence to support reported sightings proved to be a bit like chasing a ghost.

These would-be cougars were actually animals as mundane as a large housecat seen from an angle that made it appear much larger or as unusual and exotic as an escaped pet serval – a large wild cat from Africa that’s definitely not legal to keep as a pet in Michigan.

As reported sightings became more common, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources created a “cougar team” in 2008 to review reports of cougars and to try to verify them.

Brian Roell, a DNR wildlife biologist at Marquette, takes the mission of the cougar team very seriously.

“The team is made up of wildlife biologists for the DNR who have received specialized training in how to identify cougars from photos, as well as from tracks, scat and other physical evidence they may leave behind,” Roell said. “It’s important that we’re able to identify these animals correctly, not just for conservation purposes but also so that residents can be informed about the wildlife living around them and take commonsense precautions.”

If the evidence appears to have come from a cougar, DNR staffers will follow up with a site visit. This helps the biologists verify that photos haven’t been faked or reported from false locations. The visits also let the biologists measure trees and other objects to help estimate the size of animals in photos submitted with reports.

Sometimes, the team members even use a life-sized, cardboard cougar silhouette to try to recreate the photo to help arrive at a correct identification.

So far, their hard work has verified 65 cougar reports in Michigan.

“We don’t think these are all different cougars,” Roell said. “Many of these reports include photos from trail cameras, and it’s very likely that the same cat is being spotted in different places as it moves through the forest.”

“There’s no evidence of a breeding population here – no signs of kittens in any verified report, and all of the animals where we’ve been able to determine their sex have been male,” said Kristie Sitar, DNR wildlife biologist at Newberry.

Sitar said some DNA studies have been conducted on the cougars found here, using evidence collected from verified reports or a cougar poached in Schoolcraft County several years ago.

This testing has shown the animals being reported in Michigan have traced back to a population found in South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska.

“These are likely young male cougars looking for areas far from home where they can find mates and establish their own territories, and they just keep moving when they don’t find any female cougars,” Sitar said.

All but one of the verified cougar sightings the team has reviewed have been from the Upper Peninsula. Chances of seeing one in the Lower Peninsula are extremely low.

Like with most wildlife, there are some simple preventative steps you can take to make your home less attractive to cougars.

Remove sources of food, shelter and safety. For cougars, this means not letting pets roam outside alone, providing shelter for livestock, not feeding wildlife, removing landscaping that provides shrubby cover for animals to hide in near buildings and installing outside lighting with motion detectors.

If you encounter a cougar when you’re outdoors, your best bet is to try to appear too dangerous to tangle with: don’t turn your back on the animal, look as large as you can by standing tall and waving your arms, and talk loudly.

Never run from a cougar, though you can move away slowly. If you are attacked, fight back and never play dead. Remember that the likelihood that you’ll ever see a cougar in Michigan is extremely low, and the likelihood of an attack is even lower.

“These cats are very rare in Michigan,” said Pete Kailing, a DNR wildlife biologist in Paris. “Much of the data we’ve been able to gather so far is thanks to the willingness of Michiganders to share their photos and other evidence with us.”

If you’re interested in learning more about cougars in Michigan, Kailing suggests starting at Michigan.gov/Cougars, where you can find tips on how to tell if the animal you’ve seen is a cougar, how to report a cougar sighting and the current status on where cougars have been confirmed in Michigan.

License options include:

• Annual all-species resident: $26.
• Annual all-species nonresident: $76.
• Annual all-species senior: $11 (65 and older or legally blind, Michigan residents only).
• Annual all-species youth: $2 (voluntary license for residents or nonresidents under the age of 17).
• Daily all-species resident or nonresident: $10/day (you set the date/time for license to start).

Michigan law requires people 17 or older to purchase a fishing license before fishing in public waters. Those under 17 may fish without a license but must observe all fishing rules and regulations.

New this year: Anglers 16 or younger can purchase a voluntary youth all-species license. Any adult actively assisting a youth angler must have a fishing license.

New to fishing? Check out our how-to videos for safety and fishing tips at Michigan.gov/HowToFish.

For more information on licenses and regulation changes, check out the Michigan Fishing Guide – available at license retailers or online at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests. The 2021 guide will be available online April 1 and will be valid through March 31, 2022. The online version of the current guide is always up to date and available to download.

Forest health experts, including the Michigan DNR Forest Health Team, fielded record numbers of such questions in 2020 as people observed nature in their backyards, trails and gardens.

“Gypsy moth topped the list of calls this year in the Lower Peninsula,” said DNR forest health specialist James Wieferich. In the Upper Peninsula, spruce budworm was the biggest concern for locals.

Details about forest health challenges like these pests and predictions for the future are included in the 2020 Michigan Forest Health Highlights report.
Updates share the effects of rising waters on coastal forests and detail efforts to slow the spread of a tiny tree killer, the hemlock woolly adelgid. They also provide data about a continuing outbreak of voracious gypsy moths present in numbers not seen in years.

Since the DNR’s beginnings as the Department of Conservation in 1921, the health of forests has been a priority, starting with wildfire prevention and tree planting and expanding into work to reduce the effects of damaging insects and diseases. Today, community engagement is key in catching issues before they grow from localized infestations to large-scale outbreaks.

“Community members are often the first people to notice when a new pest or disease appears, and early detection is critical in getting infestations under control,” said Sue Tangora, DNR Forest Health Program manager.

Want to learn more? Visit Michigan.gov/ForestHealth or contact James Wieferich at 517-284-5866.

While black bears primarily are found in the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula, they occasionally are spotted in southern counties, too. After leaving their dens, bears look for leafy green vegetation to replenish their bodies after months of hibernation. Given the chance, though, these opportunistic feeders will take advantage of available food sources such as calorie-rich bird seed, garbage cans and pet foods.

“Many of us have enjoyed watching birds visit feeders during the winter months, especially while working from home and sheltering in place,” said Hannah Schauer, communications and education coordinator in the DNR Wildlife Division. “But as wildlife become more active in the spring, bird seed can attract more than just birds to your yard.”

No matter what, it’s important to keep wildlife visitors at a distance for the safety of the animals and people. Help your community avoid bear conflicts by removing your bird feeders now, securing trash cans in enclosed areas and taking in pet foods that may be outside.

To learn more about being Bear SMART this spring, visit Michigan.gov/Wildlife or contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.

Media contact: Rachel Leightner at 517-243-5813.

We’re excited to celebrate 100 years of taking care of Michigan’s great outdoors, where fish, wildlife and forests thrive and opportunities to enjoy and connect to nature and our state’s heritage are diverse and plentiful.

Throughout 2021, and especially in March, we’re commemorating the DNR’s centennial.

To mark our 100th anniversary, we’ve come up with 100 ways to celebrate by exploring and enjoying Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. There is something to try in every season and for all skills, abilities and interests.

Take a look, find your favorite DNR centennial-inspired activities and join in on the celebration!

March classes include:

• Hard Water School (ice fishing class), March 6
  This one-day, introductory class will be held outdoors on the ice and cover  how to set up equipment, how and where to fish, ice safety, and rules and regulations. The class will focus on techniques for pan fish, walleye and pike. Cost for the class is $35, which includes one-on-one instruction from a pro, lunch on the ice, bait and a goodie bag.
• Turkey Hunting Clinic, March 13
  This class will go over laws, habitat, gear, calling and much more. Students will walk away with the knowledge they need to hunt turkeys on their own. Cost for the class is $30, which includes lunch and door prizes.
• Steelhead Clinic, March 20-21
  The Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff will present various strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan’s “chrome torpedoes.” Sunday morning, participants will hit the water to learn how to fish and what to look for on the beautiful Manistee River. Cost for the class is $25, which includes lunch Saturday.
• Steelhead Seminar, March 27
  The Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff will present various strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan’s “chrome torpedoes.” Cost for this class is $25, which includes lunch.

For detailed descriptions, registration and information about COVID-19 precautions, visit Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills.

The Outdoor Skills Academy offers in-depth, expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of outdoor activities. Classes coming up later this spring include clinics on walleye fishing, whitetail food plot and habitat management, fly fishing for beginners, and wild mushrooms.

It’s a great time to learn about the stories of women who have played an important part in Michigan’s history, including:

• Eva Belles (pictured here), a reformer and women’s rights activist involved in a Flint suffrage case in which the Michigan Supreme Court decided women could qualify to vote in school elections.
• Daisy Elliott, state legislator and Michigan Constitutional Convention delegate who worked to improve the lives of Michigan’s African Americans and women and bring their interests to Lansing. Her greatest contribution to Michigan is the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976.
• Laura Haviland, who fought against slavery and helped enslaved African Americans seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Find other fascinating stories from Michigan’s past at Michiganology.org/Stories.

Learn more about the women who have shaped Michigan history on the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame timeline.

In fact, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has tucked 23 rustic backcountry cabins or yurts into this stunning landscape, which are nestled into some truly beautiful spaces.

Upon arrival to an empty cabin, each visitor likely feels the initial excitement at the start of a new adventure.

The faint smell of woodsmoke soon wafts from the small metal stove that sits in the corner, a neat stack of dry firewood towers to its side. The scuffed wooden floor supports a few sets of bunk beds and a small, well-worn wooden table.

Somewhere in each one of these cabins there is a beaten-up old book, not the one filled with the brochures and instructions of how to navigate the park, but the one full of the first-hand history of this tiny place surrounded by so much wild.

As is the case at state parks across Michigan, the cabin logbook is somewhat of a secret treasure here at the Porcupine Mountains. Each visitor who reserves a stay in one of the cabins has the option to write his or her story.

With 23 cabins and yurts across the span of 76 years, the park has gathered quite the collection of books and stories.

Within the pages of these books is the history of the park, written by the people who took the time to enjoy it.

A very common theme is the individual adventures – what types of critters scurried by on their hike in, what was packed for a meal or a little insight about themselves. Most stories are of good times, while others had a bit more traumatizing stay.

One entry from 1992, at the Lily Pond cabin, reads:

“We had three visitors this morning. Three very cute and comical otters were playing by the dam. I took twenty pictures and they wanted more! So, hopefully, they will come back to meet the next people. The sun is rising over the lake and it’s a beautiful morning.”

A visitor to the Greenstone Cabin in 1984 wrote:

“My six-month-old fell out of the backpack headfirst when my husband bent over to grab my three-year-old who was falling down the bank. Am I having a good time you ask?”

Many authors in the Porkies logbooks like to write to the strangers that will be coming in behind them. A lot of times, they give advice from experience learned or knowledge they deem worth sharing. Some authors have burning confessions, honest apologies or a simple heads-up to the next nights residents.

Some examples of the variety include:

“Sorry about the burnt popcorn smell. There’s an explanation for that. We burnt the popcorn. Expert backpackers ya’ know.” – Greenstone Cabin, 1984

“We tried some freeze-dried powdered eggs-they’re awful!! Chili-mac is great though.” – Lake of the Clouds Cabin, 2008

“I’m avoiding to tell my brother that I lost one of his spoons “tackle.” I’m notorious for decorating trees with spinners and what not.” – Greenstone Cabin, 1984

“My sister puked outside, so don’t step in it. Had some marshmallows. Very hot in here especially on the top bunks, so sleep on the bottom. Had a relaxing weekend. Went cross-country skiing a lot, saw a deer, more deer poop than deer, don’t step in that either.” – Whitetail Cabin, 1992

Humans thrive on telling tales. Many myths are started by word-of-mouth stories passed down through generations that are then put down on paper and become legends.

The visitors to the Porkies cabins have crafted several legends over the years.

Many visitors wrote of sightings or of hearing the mouse rustling in the night. Others shared advice on how to outwit him to thwart his plans of stealing food or precious supplies.

“Have taken good advice of past dwellers to Buckshot. Put food under pails and pots. ‘grizzly’ won’t get your food. Then he will get discouraged and leave.” – Buckshot Cabin 1977

“Doug told Steve the legend, of the little log house. And the ferocious field varmint, named Grizzly the mouse. We slept through the night, with both terror and fright. Because Grizzly the mouse had threatened to bite.” – Buckshot Cabin 1978

Cabin users have expressed themselves in ways other than storytelling, including poetry, music and art. Here’s a sample from the Greenstone Cabin in 1986:

“We stayed in this wilderness camp,

Without rain we didn’t get damp.

Saw no bears, it doesn’t matter,

Ate lots of food, we all got fatter.

We love it in the porcupine mountains,

too bad there aren’t more fresh-water fountains.”

A Mirror Lake two-bunk cabin visitor offered this from 1992:

“I feel fine, talkin’ bout piece of mind, I’m gonna take my time, livin’ the good life …”

These complaints, perhaps a precursor to today’s social media posts, date back in the logbooks as far as the 1960s.

People come from all over the world come to stay in the park’s little cabins in the woods. They come for many reasons: solitude, adventure or building bonds with family or friends.

For most cabin users through the years, there seems to be a common denominator. No matter if they were staying for a week or a single night, that empty room with a bed and a stove becomes a home.

And just like home, one is sad to go, but many leave behind the promise of return, because they’ve fallen in love with this wild, adventurous place.

A visitor to the Buckshot Cabin in 1977 summed it up nicely:

“I finally feel at ease with the world. Free from tension and anxiety. Free from all worldly pressures I must face in my everyday struggle. Yes, I have found my place; a place where I can belong. But why must I leave and when can I return?”

For more information on Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, its cabins and yurts, trails and more, visit Michigan.gov/Porkies.

“Winterkill is the most common type of fish kill,” said Gary Whelan, DNR Fisheries Division research manager. “As the season changes, it can be particularly common in shallow lakes, ponds, streams and canals. These kills are localized and typically do not affect the overall health of the fish populations or fishing quality.”

Shallow lakes with excess aquatic vegetation and soft bottoms are more prone to this problem, particularly when a deep snowpack reduces sunlight for the plants. Canals in urban areas also are susceptible due to the large amounts of nutrient runoff and pollution from roads and lawns and septic systems that flow into these areas, especially from large storm events.

Fish and other aquatic life typically die in late winter but may not be noticed until a month after the ice leaves lakes. That’s because the dead fish and other aquatic life are temporarily preserved by the cold water. Fish also may be affected by rapid changes in water temperature due to unseasonably warm temperatures leading to stress and, sometimes, mortality. That could be the case this year with the record or near-record cold temperatures and large snowfalls Michigan experienced this month and any rapid warming in the coming months.

Fish can become easily stressed in winter due to low energy reserves because feeding is at a minimum in winter. They are then less able to handle low oxygen and temperatures swings.

“Winterkill begins with distressed fish gasping for air at holes in the ice and often ends with large numbers of dead fish that bloat as the water warms,” Whelan said. “Dead fish and other aquatic life may appear fuzzy because of secondary infection by fungus, but the fungus was not the cause of death. The fish actually suffocated from a lack of dissolved oxygen from decaying plants and other dead aquatic animals under the ice.”

Dissolved oxygen is required by fish and all other forms of aquatic life. Once daylight is greatly reduced by ice and snow cover, aquatic plants stop producing oxygen and many die. The bacteria that decompose organic materials on the bottom of the lake use the remaining oxygen in the water. Once the oxygen is reduced and other aquatic animals die and start decomposing, the rate that oxygen is used for decomposition is additionally increased – that means that dissolved oxygen levels in the water decrease even further, leading to increasing winterkill.

For more information on fish kills in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing. The public is welcome to report fish kills at Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField; such reports are valuable to the DNR’s ability to manage the state’s aquatic resources. If you suspect a fish kill is due to non-natural causes, call the nearest DNR office or Michigan’s Pollution Emergency Alert System at 800-292-4706.